Campus Life

Styffe and Denesiuk chosen as Board Chair, Vice-Chair

The Okanagan College Board of Governors has elected Tom Styffe and Connie Denesiuk to serve as the new Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively.

Styffe, who was appointed to the Board in 2010 and served the past two years as Vice-Chair, will replace Lance Kayfish as Chair. Kayfish joined the Board in 2007 and has contributed in roles as a member, as Vice-Chair and spent three years as Chair. Kayfish will continue to serve as a member of the Board until September.

“Colleges are an especially vital part of our future,” said Styffe, “We have demographic issues that will require employers, communities and the post-secondary sector working together to develop solutions. It’s an exciting time to be helping lead an institution as dynamic as Okanagan College, at a time when sustainability, campus renewal and addressing skills shortages are major focuses.”

Styffe and Denesiuk are both residents of the South Okanagan and both bring unique and varied professional and personal experience to the Board.

Styffe, now semi-retired, is an experienced construction project management professional who spent more than three decades working in the industry. His work included projects ranging from the $25-million New Westminster campus of Douglas College to schools, hospitals, commercial projects and more than 1,000 units of residential construction.

He is also serving his third term as an Alternate Director for the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen and has been active in municipal and provincial politics, including serving as a councillor for Logan Lake.

“Tom and Connie’s appointments position the Okanagan College Board of Governors extremely well for the future,” said Kayfish. “Having worked alongside both, I have the utmost confidence they will continue to provide strong and capable leadership to the Board.

“Working with my colleagues on the Board and with students, administrators and faculty at the College has been a very rewarding experience for me personally. I’m very proud of all that our Board has achieved in the time that I have been involved and feel very honoured to have had this opportunity.”

Denesiuk has a long history of community involvement. She joined the College Board in 2012 after serving a three-year term as President of the B.C. School Trustees Association. Denesiuk also served on the Okanagan Skaha School Board of Education for 19 years, nine of which were in the role of Board Chair.

She is currently a Director for the Summerland Asset Development Initiative, Director of the Summerland & District Credit Union, and Director of the Summerland Chamber of Commerce.

She’s a partner in R. Denesiuk Construction, a family business that she has run since 1980 with her husband.